Test Bank Pharmacology A Patient-Centered
Nursing Process Approach, 11th Edition by
Linda E. McCuistion Chapter 1-58 Questions
and Answers 2026
,Chapter 01: The Nursing Process and Patient-Centered Care
McCuistion: Pharmacology: A Patient-Centered Nursing Process Approach, 11th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse is developing a teaching plan for an elderly patient who will begin taking an
antihypertensive drug that causes dizziness and orthostatic hypotension. Which
hypothesis (problem) documented by the nurse is appropriate for this patient?
a. Deficient knowledge related to drug side effects.
b. Ineffective health maintenance related to age.
c. Readiness for enhanced knowledge related to medication side effects.
d. Risk for injury related to side effects of the medication.
ANSWER >>D
This patient has an increased risk for injury because of drug side effects, so this is an appropriate
hypothesis (problem) to direct the type of care and follow-up the patient will receive.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
TOP: Nursing Process: Nursing Diagnosis
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Client Care
2. An older patient must learn to administer a medication using a device that requires manual
dexterity. The patient becomes frustrated and expresses lack of self-confidence in
performing this task. Which action will the nurse perform next?
a. Ask the patient to keep trying until the skill is learned.
b. Provide written instructions with illustrations showing each step of the skill.
c. Schedule multiple sessions and practice each step separately.
d. Teach the procedure to family members who can administer the medication for
the patient.
ANSWER >>C
Nurses should be sensitive to patient’s level of frustration when teaching skills. In this case,
breaking the steps down into individual parts will help with this patient’s frustration level.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application) TOP: Nursing Process:
Planning MSC: NCLEX: Management of Client Care
3. A school-age child will begin taking a medication to be administered at 5 mL three times daily.
The child’s parent tells the nurse that, with a previous use of the drug, the child repeatedly
forgot to bring the medication home from school, resulting in missed evening doses. What will
the nurse recommend?
a. Encourage the child to be more responsible and that it is important to take
the medication as prescribed.
b. Putting a note on the child’s locker to encourage the child to take responsibility
for medication administration.
c. Asking the provider if 7.5 mL may be taken in the morning and 7.5 mL may
be taken in the evening so that the correct amount is given daily.
d. Taking the noon dose to school every day and giving it to the school nurse
to administer.
, ANSWER >>C
For busy families with school-age children, it may be necessary to adjust the medication
schedule to one that fits their schedule. The nurse should ask the provider if a revised schedule
is possible. In this case, the most effective revised schedule would involve not taking the
medication while at school. Putting a note on the locker is not likely to be effective. It is not
correct to adjust the dose.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
TOP: Nursing Process: Nursing Intervention | Nursing Process: Planning
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Client Care
4. A high-school student regularly forgets to use a twice-daily inhaled corticosteroid to prevent
asthma flares and is repeatedly admitted to the hospital. The child’s parent tells the nurse that
the child has been told that forgetting to take the medication causes frequent hospitalizations.
The nurse will
a. encourage the child to take responsibility for taking the medication.
b. reinforce the need to take prescribed medications to avoid hospitalizations.
c. suggest putting the inhaler with the child’s toothbrush to use before brushing teeth.
d. suggest that the child’s parents administer the medication to increase compliance.
ANSWER >>C
It is important to empower patients to take responsibility for managing medications. Putting the
medication with the toothbrush can help this child remember to use it. Telling the child to take
medications and reminding the child that failure to do so results in hospitalization is not
working. Asking the child’s parents to administer the medication does not empower the
adolescent to take responsibility.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
TOP: Nursing Process: Planning | Nursing Process: Nursing Intervention
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Client Care
5. An adolescent patient who has acne is given a regimen of topical medications and an oral
antibiotic that generally clears up lesions to fewer than 10 within 6 to 8 weeks. At a 2-month
follow-up, the patient continues to have more than 25 lesions. The child’s parent affirms that
the child is using the medications as prescribed. Which statement below is correct for this
patient to evaluate the outcome?
a. “Goal of fewer than 10 lesions in 6 to 8 weeks is not met.”
b. “Goal that the medication will be effective is not met.”
c. “Goal that the patient will take medications as prescribed is not met.”
d. “Goal that the patient understands the medication regimen is not met.”
ANSWER >>A
, All indications are that this patient is taking the medications and they are not effective. The first
statement is correct because it identifies a measurable desired outcome and a specific time
frame.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application) TOP: Nursing Process:
Evaluation MSC: NCLEX: Management of Client Care
6. Which of the following would not be considered an important element of health teaching in
drug therapy?
a. Assess the patients’ health literacy skills.
b. Assess all of the drugs on the patients’ profile for possible drug interactions.
c. Avoid discussing potential side effects and adverse reactions with the patient
to avoid nonadherence.
d. Determine if the patient needs laboratory monitoring.
ANSWER >>C
Potential side effects and adverse reactions should always be discussed with the patient so they
know what to report to their health care team should they occur. All other factors
considerations listed are important elements of health teaching.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment | Nursing Process: Nursing Intervention
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Pharmacological and Parenteral
Therapies
7. All of the following would be considered subjective data, EXCEPT:
a. Patient-reported health history
b. Patient-reported signs and symptoms of their illness
c. Financial barriers reported by the patient’s caregiver
d. Vital signs obtained from the medical record
ANSWER >>D
Subjective data is based on what patients or family members communicate to the nurse.
Patient- reported health history, signs and symptoms, and caregiver reported financial barriers
would be considered subjective data. Vital signs obtained from the medical record would be
considered objective data.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process:
Planning MSC: NCLEX: Management of Client Care
8. The nurse is using data collected to define a set of interventions to achieve the most
desirable outcomes. Which of the following steps is the nurse applying?
a. Recognizing cues (assessment)
b. Analyze cues & prioritize hypothesis (analysis)
c. Generate solutions (planning)
d. Take action (nursing interventions)
ANSWER >>C
When generating solutions (planning), the nurse identifies expected outcomes and uses the
patient’s problem(s) to define a set of interventions to achieve the most desirable outcomes.
Recognizing cues (assessment) involves the gathering of cues (information) from the patient
about their health and lifestyle practices, which are important facts that aid the nurse in making
clinical care decisions. Prioritizing hypothesis is used to organize and rank the patient
Nursing Process Approach, 11th Edition by
Linda E. McCuistion Chapter 1-58 Questions
and Answers 2026
,Chapter 01: The Nursing Process and Patient-Centered Care
McCuistion: Pharmacology: A Patient-Centered Nursing Process Approach, 11th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse is developing a teaching plan for an elderly patient who will begin taking an
antihypertensive drug that causes dizziness and orthostatic hypotension. Which
hypothesis (problem) documented by the nurse is appropriate for this patient?
a. Deficient knowledge related to drug side effects.
b. Ineffective health maintenance related to age.
c. Readiness for enhanced knowledge related to medication side effects.
d. Risk for injury related to side effects of the medication.
ANSWER >>D
This patient has an increased risk for injury because of drug side effects, so this is an appropriate
hypothesis (problem) to direct the type of care and follow-up the patient will receive.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
TOP: Nursing Process: Nursing Diagnosis
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Client Care
2. An older patient must learn to administer a medication using a device that requires manual
dexterity. The patient becomes frustrated and expresses lack of self-confidence in
performing this task. Which action will the nurse perform next?
a. Ask the patient to keep trying until the skill is learned.
b. Provide written instructions with illustrations showing each step of the skill.
c. Schedule multiple sessions and practice each step separately.
d. Teach the procedure to family members who can administer the medication for
the patient.
ANSWER >>C
Nurses should be sensitive to patient’s level of frustration when teaching skills. In this case,
breaking the steps down into individual parts will help with this patient’s frustration level.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application) TOP: Nursing Process:
Planning MSC: NCLEX: Management of Client Care
3. A school-age child will begin taking a medication to be administered at 5 mL three times daily.
The child’s parent tells the nurse that, with a previous use of the drug, the child repeatedly
forgot to bring the medication home from school, resulting in missed evening doses. What will
the nurse recommend?
a. Encourage the child to be more responsible and that it is important to take
the medication as prescribed.
b. Putting a note on the child’s locker to encourage the child to take responsibility
for medication administration.
c. Asking the provider if 7.5 mL may be taken in the morning and 7.5 mL may
be taken in the evening so that the correct amount is given daily.
d. Taking the noon dose to school every day and giving it to the school nurse
to administer.
, ANSWER >>C
For busy families with school-age children, it may be necessary to adjust the medication
schedule to one that fits their schedule. The nurse should ask the provider if a revised schedule
is possible. In this case, the most effective revised schedule would involve not taking the
medication while at school. Putting a note on the locker is not likely to be effective. It is not
correct to adjust the dose.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
TOP: Nursing Process: Nursing Intervention | Nursing Process: Planning
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Client Care
4. A high-school student regularly forgets to use a twice-daily inhaled corticosteroid to prevent
asthma flares and is repeatedly admitted to the hospital. The child’s parent tells the nurse that
the child has been told that forgetting to take the medication causes frequent hospitalizations.
The nurse will
a. encourage the child to take responsibility for taking the medication.
b. reinforce the need to take prescribed medications to avoid hospitalizations.
c. suggest putting the inhaler with the child’s toothbrush to use before brushing teeth.
d. suggest that the child’s parents administer the medication to increase compliance.
ANSWER >>C
It is important to empower patients to take responsibility for managing medications. Putting the
medication with the toothbrush can help this child remember to use it. Telling the child to take
medications and reminding the child that failure to do so results in hospitalization is not
working. Asking the child’s parents to administer the medication does not empower the
adolescent to take responsibility.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
TOP: Nursing Process: Planning | Nursing Process: Nursing Intervention
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Client Care
5. An adolescent patient who has acne is given a regimen of topical medications and an oral
antibiotic that generally clears up lesions to fewer than 10 within 6 to 8 weeks. At a 2-month
follow-up, the patient continues to have more than 25 lesions. The child’s parent affirms that
the child is using the medications as prescribed. Which statement below is correct for this
patient to evaluate the outcome?
a. “Goal of fewer than 10 lesions in 6 to 8 weeks is not met.”
b. “Goal that the medication will be effective is not met.”
c. “Goal that the patient will take medications as prescribed is not met.”
d. “Goal that the patient understands the medication regimen is not met.”
ANSWER >>A
, All indications are that this patient is taking the medications and they are not effective. The first
statement is correct because it identifies a measurable desired outcome and a specific time
frame.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application) TOP: Nursing Process:
Evaluation MSC: NCLEX: Management of Client Care
6. Which of the following would not be considered an important element of health teaching in
drug therapy?
a. Assess the patients’ health literacy skills.
b. Assess all of the drugs on the patients’ profile for possible drug interactions.
c. Avoid discussing potential side effects and adverse reactions with the patient
to avoid nonadherence.
d. Determine if the patient needs laboratory monitoring.
ANSWER >>C
Potential side effects and adverse reactions should always be discussed with the patient so they
know what to report to their health care team should they occur. All other factors
considerations listed are important elements of health teaching.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment | Nursing Process: Nursing Intervention
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Pharmacological and Parenteral
Therapies
7. All of the following would be considered subjective data, EXCEPT:
a. Patient-reported health history
b. Patient-reported signs and symptoms of their illness
c. Financial barriers reported by the patient’s caregiver
d. Vital signs obtained from the medical record
ANSWER >>D
Subjective data is based on what patients or family members communicate to the nurse.
Patient- reported health history, signs and symptoms, and caregiver reported financial barriers
would be considered subjective data. Vital signs obtained from the medical record would be
considered objective data.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension) TOP: Nursing Process:
Planning MSC: NCLEX: Management of Client Care
8. The nurse is using data collected to define a set of interventions to achieve the most
desirable outcomes. Which of the following steps is the nurse applying?
a. Recognizing cues (assessment)
b. Analyze cues & prioritize hypothesis (analysis)
c. Generate solutions (planning)
d. Take action (nursing interventions)
ANSWER >>C
When generating solutions (planning), the nurse identifies expected outcomes and uses the
patient’s problem(s) to define a set of interventions to achieve the most desirable outcomes.
Recognizing cues (assessment) involves the gathering of cues (information) from the patient
about their health and lifestyle practices, which are important facts that aid the nurse in making
clinical care decisions. Prioritizing hypothesis is used to organize and rank the patient
